Method and means for making sliders



Sept. 4, 1945. M. VOITY EI'AL METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING SLIDERS FOR SLIDE FASTENERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1942 A TTOP/VEY Sept. 4, 1945. M. VOlT-Y ETAL 2,383,999

METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING SLIDERS FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed June 6, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @m o H 3 3 1-, g k n a ,4 TTOENEY Patented Sept. 4, 1945 METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING SLIDERS- FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Maurice Voity, Long Island City, and George A.

Grifliths, Kew Gardens, N. Y., assignors to Universal Slide Fastener Co. Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 6, 1942, Serial No. 446,062

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and means for making sliders for slide fasteners. More particularly, the invention is concerned with the *provision of an improved method and apparatus for reducing the, height of the rails of slider wing blanks which are integrally connected in a long strip.

' 'One of the objects of our invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the character de- "scribed which is capable of operating at a high speed and in a continuous and accurate manner upon a strip consisting of integrally connected slider Wing blanks in order to reduce the height of the slider rails to a predetermined elevation.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the character described in which the slider rail height reducing means is operated from a source of power which simultaneously causes the strip of slider wing blanks to be moved relative to said rail height reducing means.

- -A further object of our invention is to provide an apparatus and method of the character described through whose use the height of the .slider rails is reduced in such manner as to leave the trimmed edge smooth and thus dispense with further finishing steps.

additional object of our invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described which shall comprise relatively few and simple parts. and which shall be adjustable for use with slider wing blanks of various sizes, which shall be. rugged in construction and efiicient in operation to a high degree.

other objects of this invention will in part be I obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, I and arrangement oi parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the claims.

Certain featuresof the apparatus and method herein shown or described but not claimed are shown, described and claimed in our copending application Serial No. 426,694, for Method and means formaking sliders for slide fasteners, filed January 14, 1942; of which this application is a-continuation-in-part.

:"jIng'the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention andwherein like numbers refer to like parts;

' 'Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of an appa- -ratus embodying our invention;

Cir

' finished slider.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof with portions broken away to clearly show the means for feeding the strip of integrally connected slider win-g blanks;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 2, showing the guides for directing the path of the strip through the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, we have there shown an apparatus In which embodies our invention and is specially designed and constructed to reduce the height of the rails of slider wing blanks which are integrally connected in a long continuous strip S, such as is shown and described in the said copending application.

This strip S comprises a series of integrally connected slider wing blanks I2 (Fig, 3) having rails 14 which are higher than required in the Each rail consists of a portion I6 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the strip and an outwardly diverging contiguous portion I8. Successive wing blanks are oppositely oriented and are connected to each other, where the parallel rail portions I6 are adjacently disposed, by a link 20 substantially coplanar with the wing blank I2. Saidwing blanks are connected to each other adjacent the diverging rail portions I8 by a diamond-shaped link 22 raised above the plane of the wing blanks I2 and the top of the rails I4. The width of the raised diamond-shaped link 22 is less than the distance between the inside surfaces of the parallel rail portions I6, and said raised link is disposed sub-,

stantially medially of said rail portions.

The apparatus I0 for reducing the oversized slider rails to their proper height comprises revolving material removing means M, a gauge G for guiding the strip S into proper position rela tive to the material removing'means, a device F for feeding said strip to and beyond the material removing means, a common source of power P for actuating the material removing means and feeding device, and suitable means H for holding these parts in proper position to function as a unitary organization for trimming the rails.

The means H for commonly supporting and holding the several parts of the apparatus I0 in their proper positions comprises a bed plate 24 carried by a pedestal. 26. As will be apparent during the course of the following description, said sup-porting means also includes th casings and bases of the various machine parts which are secured directly or indirectly to the bed plate, as well as standards, brackets and the like, similarly attached to the bed plate and adapted to serve as auxiliary supporting means. i

The common source of power P comprises an electric motor 28 mounted on a bracket 30secured to the pedestal 26. Through pulley 35, belt 36 and pulley 38, said motor 28 operates at high speed a drive shaft 32 which is journalled. ina bearing box bolted to the bed plate 24.

The arbor end 34 of said drive shaft 32 extends beyond the bearing box 40 and is threaded to receive revolving material removing means M which may comprise a pair of fluted cutting disks 42 and 42 spaced apart a distance less than the distance between the interior surfaces of the parallel rail portions I6. The width and disposition of the disks is such that when the strip S is moved transversely of the arbor 34 each cutter will be in proper location to trim parallel rail portions I6 and diverging rail portions I8 disposed along one longitudinal edge of the strip. In order to dispose the cutters in this fashion, a flange 44 is fixed to the arbor 34 adjacent the bearing box 40, Spacing collars 46 and 48 shiftable on the arbor fix the distance between the innermostcutter 42 and the flange 44, andan intermediate spacing collar 50 fixes the distance between the two cutting disks 42,-42. After the disks 42, 42' and collars 46, 48 and 50 have been slipped on the arbor 34, they are clamped in position by a nut 52. The cutting disks may be internally grooved to cooperate with akey (not shown) on the arbor 34 so as to prevent rotation of said disks relative to the arbor.

The gauge G for guiding the strip S in proper relationship to the cutting disks 42 is constructed as follows:

i A pair of spaced standards 54 bolted to the bed plate 24 extend vertically upward and support between them, a horizontal shaft 56 on which an elongated guide block 58 is pivoted. The upper surface of said block has a longitudinal groove which is slightly wider than the maximum Width of the strip S and which lies symmetrically beneath the cutting disks 42, 42'. The entrance end of the groove may be flared out as at 62 (Figs. 3 and 4),;to facilitate passage of the strip. I i a 1 r V A narrow pilot strip :64, best shown in Fig. 6 holds the strip S in the groove 60. The bottom surface of the pilot strip is centrally cut away to forman elongated groove 66 intermediate-the flanges68. Said groove 66 is preferably slightly wider than the diamond-shaped link 22, and the thickness of the flanges 68 defining said groove is'such that their outer walls will not quite be inrubbing engagement with the inside of the parallel rail portion I6. The inner corners of the flanges 68 may be rounded, as at "I0, to conform to the fillet on the slider wing blank adjacent the in order to provide sufficient room for passage of the strip S. The cover plates I4 may also be arcuately cut away to form grooves I8 in which the cutting disks 42, 42' set. In the bottom of these grooves are apertures to permit said cutting disks to project through the plates I4 and work on the strip S as it passes through the apparatus'l0.

Plates 82 laterally overlie edge portions of the groove 60 rearwardly of the plates I4 so as to keep, the strip S in said groove until the strip leaves the apparatus I0.

Means may also be provided to vertically adjust the position of the guide block 58 relative to the cutting disks42, 42' and to thereby control the height of thetrimmed rail portions I6 and I8. Such means comprises a pair of slots 84 disposed on each side of a threaded aperture 86, said apertures and slots being disposed remotely of the shaft 56.

A bolt 88 is threadedly received in the tapped aperture 84, and bolts 90 freely pass through the slots 86 and are threadedly received in tapped holes 92 in the bed plate 24. Thebolts90 have enlarged heads 94 adapted to abut against the upper surface of th guide block 58. The entire portion of the guide block where the bolts 88 and 90 are disposed may be cut away as at 95 (Fig. 4), so that the tops of said bolts will clear the bottom of the strip S being fed through the machine I0.

In order to vary the elevation of the strip 8' relative to the cutting disks 42, 42, it is merely necessary to loosen the bolts 90, adjust the bolt 88 until the desired elevation of the strip S is obtained, and then tighten the bolts 90 until their heads lock against'the block 58.

In accordance with our invention, suitable means F is also provided to feed the strip S through the railtrimming machine I0. Said feed means is actuated from the common source of power? by a pulley 96, mounted on the shaft 32, and which through a chain 98 drives a pulley I00 fixed to the power input shaft IOI of a gear reduction box I02 carried on top of the journal box 40.

The power output shaft I04 of said gear reductio-n'box has secured thereon a variable eccentric I06 on which the strap end I08 of an oscillating rod I I0 is rotatably mounted. The throw of said eccentric may be adjusted by a regulator I05, and rod HII may be adjusted by means of a central turnbuckle bolt H2. Lock nuts H4 fixsaid'bolt after adjustment thereof. The drivingend H5 of the link" I I0 is forked and straddles an end of a crank rod H6 mountedfor rotation with a shaft H8 journaled between the upper ends of the standards 54 and disposed perpendicular to the groove 60. The forked driving'end H5 of the link III) and the outer endof the crank rod H6 are pivotally connected by a'pin I20. Alsomounted for rotation with the shaft'IIB is a .pende'nt, driven crank rod I22 on whose lower end afeed dog I24 is pivotally attached by a pin I25. The

disposition of the feed dog I24 is such that'its free end will rest on the cover plates 82. .Said feed dog is biased to this position {by a spring I26 fixed at one end to, a stationary plate I24, and attached at the other end to a pin I30 extending from said dog. A hardened steelfeed pin I32 at the extremity of the feed dog I 24 has a pendent feed finger I34 thin enough to freely pass between the opposed edges of the cover plates 82 overlying the groove 60. The corner I36 of said feed finger facingthe cutting disks42, 42 is chamfered. g g 'Itwill be seen that the oscillating motion imparted tothe rod- III) by the eccentric I06 is transmitted by the crank I I6 and shaft I I8 tothe driving crank I22 which carries the feed dog I24. Thus, the feed finger I34 will be moved back and forth along the length of the strip S and will be guided in its movement by the plates 82. The throw of the eccentric is so adjusted that the movement of the feeddog is at least equal to the distance between similar points on consecutive diamond-shaped links 22 and preferably is equal to a whole multiple of this distance. During a feeding stroke the spring I26 keeps the for- ,ward face of the feed finger I34 in engagement with the rear vertical wall R of the diamondslhapedlink 22. During retrograde movement of the feed finger said spring allows the feed dog I24 to be oscillated upwardly. when the chamfered corner I36 rides over a diamond-shaped link.

The position of the feed finger I 34 may b controlled by adjusting the length of the turnbuckle 'bolt II2, and this adjustment may be so perf formed as to place the driving crank I22 in substantially vertical position at the middle of its stroke whereby the feed dog I24 will be substantially, linearly reciprocated.

The direction of feed is such that the strip is pulled beneath the cutting disks 42, 42 in such manner as to oppose rotation of said disks.

Due to the tendency of the feed finger I34 to reverse the direction of feed when traveling on "a retrograde stroke, we find it desirable to provide a check dogcomprising a lever I38 pivotally when the upper end of said lever is abutted against the screw I44 is so positioned that it will -flie immediatel behind the rear vertical Wall E of a diamond-shaped link 22 at the 'end'of a for ward feeding stroke of the feed finger I34. During the feeding stroke a diamond-shaped link 22,

as it passes under the operative end of the check lever I38, engages the chamfered surface I48 thereof and moves said lever out of the way. As soon as said diamond-shaped projection has moved past the check lever, said lever will spring back to itsstatic checking position under the influence of the biasing spring I42, and by abuttinga wall R, will prevent the strip S from moving backwards. Abutment screw I44 which controls the static position of the lever I38 can be adjusted to space the lower end of the lever I38 and feed finger I34 a distance apart equal to a Whole multiple of the space between corresponding points on two adjacent diamond-shaped links 22. This space, it will be noted varies in strips of different size slider wing blanks making this adjustment desirable. A look nut I50 is employed to fix the screw I44 in any adjusted position.

. It will thus be seen that there is provided a method and means by which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, .and as various changes -might be made in the embodiment above set forth, :it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is a limit- ,tudinal axis of said strip and contiguous'po'rtions diverging outwardly therefrom, the combination of a pair of disk-like material removing members revolvable about a single stationary axis, means to feed said strip, guiding means-to direct said strip under said material removing members transversely of said stationary axis and with each set of rails along a longitudinal axis of said strip operatively contacting on of said material removing members, said guiding means comprising a support for said strip and two spaced pairs of parallel walls running transversely of said stationary axis, each pair being spaced apart to slidingly receive said rails on one longitudinal edge of said strip, said disks and guiding means being so constructed and relatively arranged that each of said disks will trim the full width of the rail with which it is in operative contact, and a common means for revolving said material removing members and actuating said feedin means. w

2. In an apparatus for reducing the'height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally connected slider wing blanks wherein the rails are disposed along opposit longitudinal edges of said strip and include portions parallel to the longitudinal axis of said strip and contiguous portions diverging outwardly therefrom, the combination of a pair of disk-like material removing members revolvable about a single stationary axis, means to feed said strip, guiding means to direct said strip under said material removing members transversely of said stationary axis and with each set of rails along a longitudinal axis of said strip operatively contacting one of said material removing members, said guiding means comprising a support for said strip, two spaced pairs of parallel walls running transversely of said stationary axis, each pair being spaced apart to slidingly receive rails on one longitudinal edge ofsaid strip and a wall lying between said support and said stationary axis and adapted to slidingly receive the portion of said strip between said rails, said disks and guiding means'being so constructed and relatively arranged that each of said disks will trim the full width of the rail with which it is in operative contact, and a common means for revolving said material removing members and actuating said feeding means.

3. An apparatus for reducing the height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally connected slider wing blanks wherein the rails are disposed along opposite longitudinal edges of said strip and include portions parallel to the longitudinal axis of said strip and contiguous portions diverging outwardly therefrom, and wherein proiections of similar size and location are axially disposed between pairs of wing blanks along said strip, the combination of a pair of disk-like material removing members revolvable about a single stationary axis, means to feed said strip, guiding means to direct said strip under said material removing members transversely of. said stationary axis and with each set of rails along a longitudinal axis of said strip operatively'contacting one of said material removing members, said guiding meanscomprising a guiding member having a groove therein slightly wider than the' extreme; width of said strip, said groove being :disposed transversely of said stationary axis and ,a second guiding member overlying said first guidingnnember and having a groove therein parallelto and facing said first named groove, said second named groove being slightly wider than ,themaximum width of said projections, the width 7 of said-second guiding member being slightly less "than the space between said rails and the botlhOVing, members and actuating said feeding means;

4. In an apparatus for reducing the height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally con- ;nected slider wing blanks having uniformly :spaced and disposed projections along the length thereof, the combination of a revolving material removing member, reciprocating means for feeding said strip by engaging said projections, check means for preventing retrograde movement of said strip during th non-feeding stroke of said reciprocating' feeding means by engaging said projections,,|means to adjust the relative position ,of said feeding means and saidcheck means so thatthe distance between saidieeding means at the end of a feeding stroke and said check ,means will be equal to a whole multiple of the spacebetween the projections on said strip, and guiding means to direct said strip underand with the rails operatively contacting said revolving material removing member.

5. In a methodof reducing the height of oversized rails on along strip of integrally connected wing blanks of sliders for slide fasteners wherein the rails associated with each of said wing blanks comprise portions parallel to the longitudinal axis a and disposed along opposite longitudinal edges of said strip and contiguous outwardly diverging portions, the steps of revolving about i a singleistationary axis a pair of parallel milling cutters whose cutting faces are spaced apart a distance not greater than thatlbetween opposite l-parallellrail portions and extend beyond the outermost ends of the diverging rail portions, close- ,ly and accurately-positively positioning said rails relative to said cutters by guiding said strip under a stationary member between said cutters and adjacent the periphery thereof and over another stationary member beneath and spaced from said first stationary member a distance slightly greater; than the thickness f said'strip, continuously feeding said strip to said cutters, and restricting said strip against movement parallel to the axis ofr'evolution of said cutters at the point latter is guided between said members.

6. In a method oireducing the height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally connected wing blanks of sliders for slide fasteners wherethe in the rails associated with each oi said wing blanks 'comprse portions parallel to the longitudinal axis of-said strip and disposedalong oppositelongitudinal edges thereof and contiguous outwardly diverging portions, the steps of revolving a pair of spaced parallel milling'cutters about a single stationary axis, continuously longitudinally feeding said strip to said cutters, and closely and accurately positioning said railsrelative to said cutters by passing said'strip through a stationary guide at the point where said cutters operate on said rails to positively restrict movement of said strip in a plane including said axis at such point.

7. In an apparatus for reducing the height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally connected slider wing blanks wherein the rails are disposed along opposite longitudinal edges of said strip and include portions parallel to the longitudinal axis of said strip and contiguous portions diverging outwardly therefrom, the combination of a pair of disk-like material removing members revolvable about a sirrgle stationary axis, means to feed said strip, and guiding means to direct said strip under said material removing members transversely of said stationary axis and with each set of rails along a longitudinal axis of said strip operatively contacting one of said material removing members, said guiding means slidably engaging a portion of the surface of sad strips facing said material removing members and comprising a stationary pilot member disposed between said material removing members adjacent the periphery thereof, said disks and guiding means being so constructed and relatively arranged that each of said disks will trim the full width of the rail with which it is in operative contact.

8. In an apparatus for reducing the height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally connected slider wing blanks wherein therails are disposed along opposite longitudinal edges of said strip and include portions parallel to the longitudinal axis of said strip and contiguous portions diverging outwardly therefrom, the combination of a pair of disk-like material removingmembers revolvable about a single stationary axis, means to feed said strip, and guiding means to direct said strip under said material removing members transversely of said stationary axis and with each set of rails along a longitudinal axis of said strip operatively contacting one of said material removing members, said guiding means slidably engaging a portion of the surface of said strip facing said material removing members and comprising a stationary pilot member disposed between said material removing members adjacent the periphery thereof and a second member disposed beyond said cutters and spaced from said first stationary member along a line intersecting said axis a distance such that sa d strip is adapted to be slidingly received between said guiding members, said disks and guiding means being so constructed and relatively arranged that each of said disks will trim the'full width of the rail with which it is in operative contact.

9. In an apparatus for reducing the height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally connected slider wing blanks wherein the rails are disposed along-opposite longi'tud'nal edges of said strip and include portions parallel to the longitudinal axis of said strip and contiguous portions diverging outwardly therefrom, the combination of a pa r of disk-like material removing members revolvable about a single stationary axis,

means to feed said strip, and guiding means to direct said strip under said material removing members transversely of said stationary axis and with each set of rails along a longitudinal axis of said strip operatively contacting one of said material removing members, said guiding means slidably engaging a portion of the surface of said strip facing said material removing members and comprising a stationary pilot member disposed between said material removing members adjacent the periphery thereof and a member immediately adjacent said pilot member to maintain said strip in sliding contact with said pilot member, said disks and guiding means being so constructed and relatively arranged that each of said disks will trim the full width of the rail with which it is in operative contact.

10. In an apparatus for reducing the height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally connected slider wing blanks wherein the rails are disposed along opposite longitudinal edges of said strip and include portions parallel to the longitudinal axis of said strip and contiguous portions diverging outwardly therefrom, the combination of a pair of disk-like material removing members set of rails along a longitudinal axis of said strip operatively contacting one of said material removing members, said guiding means slidably engaging a portion of the surface of said strip facing said material removing members and comprising a stationary pilot member disposed between said material removing members adjacent the periphery thereof, the outer surface of said member being shaped to negatively match the end elevation of that portion of said strip between said rails, said disks and guiding means being so constructed and relatively arranged that each of said disks will trim the full width of the rail with Which it is in operative contact.

11. In an apparatus for reducing the height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally connected slider wing blanks wherein the rails are disposed along opposite longitudinal edges of said strip and include portions parallel to the longitudinal axis of said strip and contiguous portions diverging outwardly therefrom, the combination of a pair of disk-like material removing members revolvable about a single stationary axis, means to feed said strip, and guiding means to direct said strip under said material removing members transversely of said stationary axis and with each set of rails along a longitudinal axis of said strip operatively contacting one of said material removing members, said guiding means slidably engaging a portion of the surface of said strip facing said material removing members and comprising a stationary pilot member disposed belit tween said material removing members adjacent the periphery thereof, the outer surface of said member being shaped to negatively match the end elevation of that portion of said strip between said rails, and a member immediately adjacent said pilot member to maintain said strip in sliding contact with said pilot member, said disks and guiding means being so constructed and relatively arranged that each of said disks will trim the full width of the rail with which it is in operative contact.

12. In an apparatus for reducing the height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally connected slider wing blanks wherein the rails are disposed along opposite longitudinal edges of said strip and include portions parallel to the longitudinal axis of said strip and contiguous portions diverging outwardly therefrom, the combination of a pair of disk-like material removing members revolvable about a single stationary axis, means to feed said strip, and guiding means to direct said strip under said material removing members transversely of said stationary axis and with each set of rails along a longitudinal axis of said strip operatively contacting one of said material removing members, said guiding means sluidably engaging a portion of the surface of said strip facing said material removing members and comprising a stationary pilot member disposed between said material removing members adjacent the periphery thereof and a pair of elements spaced parallel to and extending transversely of said axis for restricting movement of said strip parallel to said axis, said disks and guiding means being so constructed and relatively arranged that each of said disks will trim the full width of the rail with which it is in operative contact.

13. In an apparatus for reducing the height of oversized rails on a long strip of integrally connected wing blanks of sliders for slide fasteners, the combination of a pair of disk-like material removing members mounted to turn about a single stationary axis, means to revolve said members, a stationary guide member at the point where the material removing members operate on said rails, said guide member being constructed and arranged to slidably pass said strip in a direction transverse to said axis with each of said rails operatively contacting one of said material removing members and to positively restrict movement of said strip in a plane including said axis and such point, and means to move said strip through said guide member.

MAURICE VOITY. GEORGE A. GRIFFITHS. 

